Welcome to Western Sydney Business Access

Wonderful Wanderers
may be lost to city

THE wonderful Western Sydney Wanderers could be lost to Parramatta if plans to build a 40,000 seat stadium around the proposed Badgerys Creek Airport get off the ground. With both Penrith and Parramatta planning expansions to their stadiums in the hope of creating the Wanderers’ forever home, the grand airport plans is not good news. The plans, the work of the FutureNet Business leader’s class of 2014, include a convention centre and a wilderness park - as well as the airport. The innovative plans are now on display for public comment.

When you could swim
in Parramatta River

WITH all the talk of a beach on Parramatta River near Lennox Bridge, many old timers and historians are remembering the days when the river used to be pristine enough to swim in. That was before World War II when part of the river in Parramatta Park was called Little Coogee and a swimmng club was set up there. From the 1880s to the end of the war, people flocked to the swimming hole, happy to not have to travel to the beaches to cool off in summer. Some brave souls, naturally young people, still have a dip in Lake Parramatta Reserve, although officially it is off-limits. Increasing industry along the river, of course, is what killed the river for recreation, although the river is a bit cleaner than it was in the 1950s. Anglers are warned not to eat fish west of the Gladesville Bridge, unless you like two-headed, glowing seafood, that is. While past Lord Mayor John Chedid spoke of the river as if it were one of the great European waterways, his successor Scott Lloyd is a bit more cautious. He is looking forward to people getting sand between their toes as they rest on the riverbank but hopes that no-one is so overcome with Parramatta heat that they want to dive in.

David’s ruffling
feathers again

DAVID Borger has been ruffling some feathers again - this time not among some Liberal Western Sydney mayors. The Western Sydney director of the Sydney Business Chamber has his eye on the Powerhouse Museum, joining Infrastructure NSW in suggesting it could find a suitable home in Parramatta. Not so fast, says museum director Rose Hiscock who suggests having a satellite museum out west, while retaining the main building in Ultimo. The finishing touches are being put on a master plan to redevelop the existing building to better integrate it with Darling Harbour. "You can't just pick up a museum and move it," Ms Hiscock said. So there.

Parramasala funding
future uncertain

DESPITE drawing a record crowd last month. Parramasala, the south Asian festival of culture and food, faces an uncertain future after the funding arrangement between the State Government and Parramatta Council ended this year. The statement from Destination NSW did not assuage any fears. “Destination NSW understands that Parramasala may look to reconfigure the event format and we wish them the best with their future direction,” he said. The festival almost did not go ahead this year, with funds confirmed as late as April. Parramasala board member and Parramatta councillor Shahadat Chowdhury said late funding flow made it difficult to run the festival. He said the idea was that the festival would eventually stand on its own feet. Parramatta State MP Geoff Lee, while praising the festival, said the board needed to work on a sustainable future for the annual event. And we know what that means - a much smaller event that injects so much into the local economy. Come on, Geoff, if you truly believe Parramatta is “the capital of Western Sydney”, get your government to cough up more for arts in the city. Parramatta Council cannot do it all.

I can picture Ross
down the water slide

I CAN just picture young Holroyd councillor Ross Grove sliding down a giant water slide like a big kid. Hopefully he’ll take off his immaculate Liberal-around-town suit first - as long as he doesn’t adopt the too-liberal swimming garb of Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Young Ross certainly is in the swim in his suggestions for his “bigger is better” vision for Holroyd Council’s proposed Merrylands super swim centre. Having returned from a bracing tour of aquatic centres in Melbourne, Grove has called for a more super centre than council had originally proposed. He was impressed with the spas, sauna and steam rooms, hydrotherapy pool and giant slide he saw at the Melbourne centres and feels those features should be part of the Merrylands plan. Who said he was wet behind the ears? But the Merrylands proposal, which would see the closure of Guildford and Wentworthville pools, remains controversial with some residents. Consultations will be completed in November and a final report will come before council next year.

Graffiti vandals
showcase talent

GRAFFITI vandals are being encouraged to splash their talent around their schools. Huh? With the thinking that diverting the rascals into creative, directed art will stop them tagging trains, veteran graffiti artist Sharline Bezzina is running a program for students from Coreen School at Blacktown and others in the surrounding area. Under the program, kids will be able to spray walls in the school before going back to their own schools to do the same to a wall set aside for the exercise. Let’s hope this works as graffiti is vandalism, not art, when sprayed indiscriminately on public and private property and is a huge cost to the community.

Masters Hardware
comes to Northmead

GOOD news for people looking for work and for those doing work around their home - a Masters hardware store is coming to Northmead. The $30 million super hardware store, to be in Redbank Rd, will provide 250 jobs when completed by mid-2015, and many more during construction. With a giant Bunnings already in Northmead, DIYers in the area will be beside themselves with joy.

Renewal program
commended nationally

PENRITH Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal program has been nationally commended in the category of Building Resilience in the National Growth Alliance Awards. Penrith Mayor Ross Fowler said the win “says as much about the residents and neighbourhoods as it does the staff involved in the program”. Neighbourhood Renewal coordinator Heather Chaffey said the program was never the same in any two neighbourhoods. “Each neighbourhood has its own unique flavour and strengths. We provide the opportunity for meaningful connection, participation and decision-making but at the end of the day it’s an invitation for members of the community to tell their story and identify priorities in their neighbourhood,” she said.

Auto Alley
set for expansion

NOT only is Parramatta going sky high, the CBD is set for outward expansion with the redevelopment of the former Auto Alley up the southern end of Church St. A development application has been lodged for a $600 million commercial and residential complex in the precinct that will eventually grow to have up to 26,000 workers in coming years. Lord Mayor Scott Lloyd, said Boyded Industries Pty Ltd is proposing 779 residential units and 40,000 square metres of commercial space, new public domain works and a new park for community use. “If approved, it will spearhead our vision to create a new commercial precinct in this prime location on the southern edge of the Parramatta CBD,” Clr Lloyd said.  “We are currently seeking community feedback on The Draft Auto Alley Planning Framework which proposes new planning controls to revitalise this 14.8 hectare site at Church St and Great Western Highway.”  Clr Lloyd said the proposed new development, known as Gateway South, is at 57, 63 and 83 Church St and 44 Early St on four sites. The land is now vacant but was formerly the Heartland Holden business. The Draft Auto Alley Planning Framework is on public exhibition until  November 9. Visit www.parracity.nsw.gov.au for more details including how to make a submission.          

New Woollies
to serve 25,000

WOOLWORTHS plans a 40,000sq m store at Edmonson Park to serve the expected 25, 000 residents over the next decade. A Woolworths spokeswoman said the supermarket alone would create 478 new local jobs during construction, and some 190 jobs will be needed to run the store when it opens. The site is currently home to Shepherd’s Landscape Supplies, which Woolworths said is already under relocation. The plan includes loading docks and 272 parking spaces.

Riverside community
beats freight terminal

A RIVERSIDE community development beats a freight terminal any day, Liverpool mayor Ned Mannoun is trying to convince the Federal Government. Clr Mannoun has appealed to the government to replace the planned Moorebank freight terminal with a picturesque riverside community. Clr Mannoun said the government could raise $482 million by selling the former defence land currently earmarked for an intermodal, so developers could build a “premium” riverside community there, while cash from the sale could go towards a new intermodal at Badgerys Creek Airport. Good idea Ned. But will the government listen?

No holding back
the blessed West

MORE jobs for the west with about 700 expected to be employed at Marsden Park’s new business park. Furniture giant Ikea, McDonalds and  giant hardware store Masters and Bunnings are among the big names set to open in the business park next year. There really is no holding the blessed west back.